New €10 banknote starts circulating tomorrow

EMBARGO

The Eurosystem has supported producers and owners of banknote machines and devices in getting ready for the new note.

An online video “Discover the new €10 banknote”, available in 23 languages, is a quick and easy way to learn about it.

The €10 banknote of the Europa series will enter into circulation on 23 September 2014. “It’s essential that everyone who uses euro banknotes can continue to do so with complete confidence. That’s why we’re introducing the Europa series”, said Yves Mersch, the ECB’s Executive Board member responsible for banknotes.

Like the new €5, the new €10 has several enhanced security features as well as a fresh look. Its hologram and watermark include a portrait of Europa, a figure from Greek mythology. It also has an “emerald number”. When tilted, the shiny number displays an effect of the light that moves up and down, and also changes colour from emerald green to deep blue. With these features and others, the new €10 is very easy to check using the “feel, look and tilt” method.

To facilitate the introduction of the new banknote and to ensure it is as widely recognised as possible, the Eurosystem has taken many measures to further support the producers and owners of banknote handling machines and authentication devices. One initiative was to make new €10 banknotes available for testing purposes almost nine months ahead of the launch, allowing sufficient time for the equipment to be adapted. Another initiative was to simplify the procedures to receive the new €10 banknotes for adaptation purposes. In addition, the Eurosystem organised – as part of the Eurosystem Partnership Programme – a banknote-related seminar in Brussels, while the national central banks were in direct contact with the relevant stakeholders in their country.

The European Central Bank has received confirmation from the national central banks of the euro area that they have done everything that could be reasonably expected within their capacity to facilitate the adaptation of banknote handling machines and authentication devices in their countries for the new note.

“To make the launch of the new €10 go as smoothly as possible, I urge all those owning banknote equipment to make sure that it can handle the new banknotes,” Mr Mersch said.

The €10 banknotes of the first series will continue to be issued in order to use up stocks. They will circulate alongside the Europa series €10 before being phased out later on and eventually ceasing to be legal tender. This change in their status will be announced well in advance.

A video entitled “Discover the new €10 banknote”, available at www.new-euro-banknotes.eu in 23 European Union languages, provides further information on the new note and how to check it. It is one of several cash-related videos on the website, which also offers other ways of learning about the banknotes, such as the “Euro Cash Academy”.